


A shell that's warm

by HogwartsToAlexandria



Series: Marie's Ironstrange Shorts 2019 [17]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU - Non-Powered, Arguments, Coming Out Angst, Communication Failure, Friends With Benefits, Get Together, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, MIT/Intern years AU, Punching, Realizations, until not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 10:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18871699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria
Summary: "It's a thing they have, it's a thing they don't name other than those few words, this meeting in neverland, the gray zone where everything is possible but never translates out of a very specific set of walls and moans."Didn't happen, in fact, who are you?" Kind of deal. Except everyone knows they know each other. No one knows just how well though.It's a game of texting and sexting, it's a game of flirting that always leads to the same place - tangled in sheets, Stephen's or Tony's, it doesn't matter - and always the same way: "See you never, douchebag." "Inspired by the second edit of thispostby Rotten-Omega on Tumblr!Ironstrange Bingo 2019 Fill, N2: “Friends with benefits”Bad Things Happen Bingo 2019 Fill, N2: “Jealousy/Envy”





	A shell that's warm

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Another fill for both the Ironstrange bingo and the Bad Things Happen bingo! Hope you'll like it!  
> Special attention to the tags please, deals with coming out issues and potential internalized homophobia.  
> Immense thanks to my fabulous friend SerenaLunera for beta-ing, you angel <3

 

It's a thing they have, it's a thing they don't name other than those few words, this meeting in neverland, the gray zone where everything is possible but never translates out of a very specific set of walls and moans.

_ "Didn't happen, in fact, who are you?" _ Kind of deal. Except everyone knows they know each other. No one knows just how well though.

It's a game of texting and sexting, it's a game of flirting that always leads to the same place - tangled in sheets, Stephen's or Tony's, it doesn't matter - and always the same way:  _ "See you never, douchebag." _

It's a good thing they have and neither of them want anything else from it, why complicate something that works so well? Why, indeed.

Stephen laughs at Wong's retelling of his day, the chief of cardio really doesn't go easy on his friend but they all knew what they were in for when they got around to starting their intern years. This isn't complaining, just an exchange of war-like stories, of drills of procedure steps and getting scrubbed in the wrong way, all the while being stared down by superiors who are really too good at playing hardass.

Wong asks the waitress he's been eyeing all night for another round, another one Stephen sits out, no thanks, he lights another cigarette instead. One vice is enough. It's Christine's turn to draw a poor portrait of her E.R. attending of the day and Stephen is into it, nodding along and laughing in all the right places, until he isn't. 

He draws smoke from the stick between his lips and his attention snaps to the side, to the door of the pub that just let in Tony and two of his, apparently, friends. Stephen shrugs if only internally and tries to go back to the conversation at hand. It's not the first time they've been in this pub at the same time, MIT is right next door to the hospital and studying for a PhD will get you drinking once in a while as well. 

And yet, there seems to be something different tonight. Stephen's crossing and uncrossing his legs, too long for such a small table, and invariably bumps Wong in the shin in the process, "Sorry,” 

Wong waves him off without taking his attention off Christine's story. 

The cigarette in his hand seems to consume itself much too quickly to Stephen's liking and before he's quite done detailing the way Tony's white shirt outlines the man's shoulders, it's burning his fingers. Shit. He stubs it out, only barely holding onto a well-placed curse. 

When he looks up he finds his two friends looking at him with curious looks but no question comes so Stephen redirects the conversation onto safer shores than his momentary stupidity.

"You read Shepard's last article?” 

They roll their eyes at him and Stephen isn't sure if it's because he's being obvious or because neuro isn't really their specialty of choice but it works anyway. They go on to talk about the latest surgical advances like the medicine nerds they are. Only, Stephen’s focus wavers at every irritating burst of laughter from this equally irritating person whose arms are currently hanging from Tony’s neck. It doesn’t matter or it shouldn’t, it never did before, or not really? 

His mind is starting to get messy and he can’t blame any of his staring on alcohol. He lights yet another cigarette and hums more or less approvingly at Christine’s claim that he should stop. That really doesn’t matter.

Tony seems entranced by whatever annoying-girl is telling him and Stephen feels himself frowning, it's nothing he can help, it just happens. 

“I need some fresh air,” that too slips before he can stop it and he strides towards the door. The only advantage of having long legs - he's out before either Christine or Wong can ask him why or try to tag along. He doesn't know if Tony's eyes followed him out or if this burning sensation in his back is all in his head. 

The light wind is doing wonders to the slow rising anger inside of him and he breathes the air as much as he keeps sucking on his cigarette. He's lost count of how many he's had tonight but at least his brain is all there, unlike most of the population of the pub by now - now being 11p.m. it's no wonder. 

His black tee-shirt still sticks to his skin rather unpleasantly but he tries to chase the sensation away as well as all other thoughts with the simple exercises Wong's taught him over the years. 

It always works, same as Tony being with other people never bothers him. Tonight is being contradictory on all accounts it seems, because all he can see as he watches people pass in the night is Tony and his two very female, very obviously interested friends and there's no quieting his mind. 

Stephen sighs, and takes a puff of smoke, again. The door opens behind him but he doesn't turn around. He's vaguely curious when all noise stops with the door closing but keeps gazing at the void ahead nonetheless. 

His questions are answered not two minutes later when hands wrap first around his biceps then shoulders then become arms loosely hanging around his neck followed by a body pressing against his back. 

“Hi,” 

Tony's voice sounds as slurred as it ever does when he comes here and it's far from being Stephen's favorite music. 

As much as he'd like to bathe in the warmth of the other man just a minute longer he's pissed enough that he can't. He disentangles himself from Tony's clumsy grasp and turns around. It's stupid but even then he didn't expect him to be so close. 

“Leave me alone, will you?”

Tony's eyes widen with all the excess one is granted by liquor and either he takes a step back or he stumbles. Stephen doesn't move, as much as he wants to, no fucking way. 

“That's not very nice of you now is it? I was  _ hugging _ you, sir!” 

“Oh was that what you were doing? Sorry, couldn't tell with all that beer smell confusing me. I'm sure the ladies inside will be happy to hug you plenty though,” Stephen tries to make his tone as biting as he can but he doesn't even know why he's reacting this strongly.

The sight of Tony's face crumbling in hurt makes it so much harder to turn back around but he does it anyway. Or he tries, until Tony grabs his arm in a much less tender way than before.

“What's gotten into you, Strange? You getting jealous on me now?”

“Jealous?” Stephen sneers but it sounds hollow even to Tony's intoxicated ears, he can tell. He keeps on anyway, “Of whom? The fine women in there? I'm merely surprised to see you've managed to come out here all on yo--”

“Stop talking,” Tony uses the hold he still has on Stephen to tug the man forward, “Just stop, please,”

The pulling would normally annoy Stephen to no end but there's an edge to Tony's voice that makes him pause somehow. He looks into the eyes he's refrained from fully diving into ever since the man came after him and then he's pushing, pushing Tony back until his back hits the brick wall of the pub. 

His hands migrate from Tony's hips to his hair in the time of a blink and then their teeth clank together and Stephen lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He moves their lips together, the flesh of Tony's mouth hot and pliant as the man’s arms fall limp at his sides. 

Stephen's rage goes all out right there. His fingers twist in the man's hair, a vice of unsaid truths and desperate grounding. Their bodies bump together until they stand snug, legs intertwined and knees pressing against crotches, grinding but not quite. 

One of Stephen's hands lets go of Tony's hair to sneak around his waist and hold him even closer, absorbing all of his warmth as he bends and folds around the man's smaller body. 

He jerks away from the kiss to graze their stubbled cheeks together and nips at Tony's jaw, harder than he normally would and one second Tony's moaning from it and the next he's scrambling and pushing Stephen away. 

“Wouldn't want someone to see us now, would you?” It’s Tony's turn to scowl, flushed and out of breath as he is. 

He's smoothing his shirt and getting away from the wall before Stephen's calmed down enough to understand what he's just heard and there he goes grabbing Tony's arm this time. 

“What do you want me to say, huh? Want me to go in and what, claim you in there? Tell all these people how we  _ fuck _ any chance we get? Better even, fancy an audience? Want me to fuck you while everyone watches maybe?” 

The punch that follows and hits him square in the jaw really isn't surprising, he had it coming. The strength of it considering the number of pints Tony has had, that's more of a shocker. 

Pain blossoms in Stephen's jaw but he nods. Tony's still standing there, shaking the pain off his hand. 

“Douchebag, remember?” Stephen tries.

It fails, “Asshole is more like it. Giant fucking dickhead but what's new.” 

Tony sits on the ground, clumsily or without a care in the world, could be either, his pants rip at the knee anyway. 

“I can't do this. I can't,” Tony's voice cracks in the middle of his next sentence and that's a whole new kind of punch in a whole new place for Stephen. 

He lets himself fall to his knees before Tony, tries to take both his hands, Tony gives him one. “Yes, yes you can, you have to--”

“ _I_ _have to?_ ” Tony goes to pull his hand away but Stephen holds on to it.

“Yes,” he pleads now, clutching Tony's palm, crushing his fingers in his frantic attempt at making Tony  _ see _ and he could say a thousand words but the only one that comes out is, “Please,” and he repeats it again and again until Tony shuts him up by bringing their foreheads together. 

The truth is Tony kept it simple, friends but not really, with benefits that's for sure, just so Stephen would be comfortable. The truth is Stephen’s known all along but it’s so hard. 

“It's so  _ hard _ , I don't know how Tony, I don't, please you have-- you have to stay,” and he doesn't say where or how long and he doesn't know himself. All Stephen knows is he needs Tony and he wants Tony and he can't, can't keep pretending, as easy as the lie had been, it was still a lie. “Stay,”

Tony frees his hand from his grasp which Stephen mistakes for his refusal and he sobs but then Tony's arms wrap around him and pull him onto his lap. He holds him, tighter than Stephen has ever been held and it’s not relief yet but he takes deep breath after deep breath and that's a first step. 

A moment later Tony leans back, his arms falling in a circle around Stephen's waist rather than his shoulders now but he doesn't break contact. 

“I'm not going anywhere, ok? Forget what I said, I need you, too, but Stephen,” Tony’s hands come to frame Stephen’s face, the gentleness of their touch a startling contrast to the fist that last touched him, “You can't keep hiding who you are you hear me?” Tony kisses him, just long enough for Stephen’s eyelids to flutter close, his lashes brushing his cheekbones once or twice before Tony speaks again.

“Don’t do it for me, do it for you, all for you,” Tony's hands slide in Stephen's hair and he kisses his cheek hard then soft, his lips hot on Stephen's skin all along, “I'm here,”

Stephen feels the whole-body shiver that takes over him before his shoulders sag in both relief and anguish, the same that follows him always, everywhere he goes and for reasons he doesn't even fully recognize. 

It's not like he was raised to think the world was all straight and nothing else and yet, there's this petrifying fear inside of him that turns his tongue to lead any time he tries to talk about it and his hands to goo when he tries to show any part of it out there in the world and his brain to vile jabs for both himself and others every time he thinks he’ll try to explain it - who he is. 

But Tony sees and if Tony's there maybe the end of that particular tunnel isn't too far any more. He meets Tony's gaze, every ounce of intensity he sees in there he tries to mirror even as he feels exhausted, drained, and he hopes his eyes are telling him, all that he can't say. 

“Thank you, Tony,” and it's Stephen's turn to kiss him, much slower than before, much more timid and chaste and yet so powerful they both feel it from head-to-toe. Stephen's hands slither under Tony's shirt and he feels the skin there, his if only he can reach out.

His if only he lets go. Won't happen now, probably won't happen tomorrow either but for now, a text to Christine and Wong to warn them he's leaving even as they see Stark also disappeared might be just enough of a step towards that beautiful promise Stephen is trying to make himself. Towards a tomorrow that won't have to be spent in shadows and dark alleys, that won't have to be lied for or kept a secret. 

And maybe Tony will be there. He is now, between Stephen’s body and silken sheets that rustle gently. He is now, as they meet again, eye for eye and heart for heart. The look on Tony's face confident even as he claws at Stephen's back, even as his legs wind up around Stephen and his arms follow the same logic, mine, yours, you and I and the rest will come soon enough. When you're ready. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, moooore to come soon :)  
> How was this one? Also find me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hogwartstoalexandria)! Prompts welcome if you want to :)


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